Wedge lock device

ABSTRACT

In a draft gear having a housing which has an open top, a solid bottom and a tapered bore which defines a shoulder extending around the inside circumference of the draft gear housing, a locking piece which has a hub portion, and outwardly extending fingers therefrom which are positioned beneath and engage the shoulder of the draft gear housing. The draft gear is maintained in assembled operation by a securing means which has a shank portion which extends upwardly from beneath the hub portion of the locking piece through a hole provided in the base of the wedge and which has a nut secured on the threaded end thereof.

LaBelle [54] WEDGE LOCK DEVICE [75] Inventor: Laurence Trefll'e LaBelle, Downers Exami"e'Draytn Hoffman Grove, L Attorney Edward F. Jurow et al.

[73] Assignee: Miner Enterprises, Inc. 57 T T Filed: g- 1971 in a draft gear having a housing which has an open [21] APPL NOJ 169,420 top, a solid bottom and a tapered bore which defines a shoulder extending around the inside circumference of a the draft gear housing, a locking piece which has a [52] US. Cl. 213/32 R hub portion and outwardly extending fingers [51] hit. Cl therefrom which are positioned {beneath and engage [58] Field of Search ..2l3/22, 32, 33, 24 the shoulder f the d ft gear housing h draft gear 0 is maintained in assembled operation by a securing References Clted means which has a shank portion which extends upwardly from beneath the hub portion of the locking UNITED STATES PATENTS piece through a hole provided in the base of the 2,032,340 2/1936 Barrows ..2l3/22 wedge and which has a nut secured on the threaded 2,710,749 6/1955 Forssell ..2l3/32 R end thereof. 3,132,748 5/1964 Mulcahy ..213/32 R 3,227,288 1/1966 Mulcahy et al ..213/22 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 24 43 ac, T 34 l5 o -sm- I- Q 46m I r" 50 4B Q 52--( 3o I VL I 42 A WEDGE rocx DEVICE 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to draft gear cushioning devices utilized in railway cars.

2. Description of the Prior Art In analyzing the prior art no art was located utilizing a locking piece acting independently of the friction shoes and follower of the draft gear and with outstanding fingers positioned beneath and engaging continuous annular internal shoulder of the draft gear housing.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION a. The primary object of the invention is to eliminate the need of having lugs on the wedge of a draft gear and corresponding lugs on the draft gear housing thereby providing for a sounder housing by eliminating the points of stress at the top of the bore created by the lugs.

b. Another object of the invention is to reduce manufacturing costs of a draft gear by eliminating the need for lugs on the housing and on the wedge.

0. And finally, another object of the invention is to provide a lockingpiece which acts independently of both the friction shoes and the follower thereby eliminating any relative movement between friction shoes and follower which may strip the threads of the locking bolt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention discloses a draft gear utilizing a wedge lock mechanism to eliminate the need for machined lugs on the wedge and corresponding lugs on the housing. The draft gear has a housing which has an open top, solid bottom and a tapered bore which originates at the open top and extends into the housing terminating into and defining an annular shoulder at its lower extremity with the shoulder extending continuously around the inside circumference of the draft gear housing. Located within the lower portion of the housing is an elastomeric absorption device, in the form of a stack of pads, and positioned on the elastomeric absorption device is a follower. A locking piece which has a hub portion and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly therefrom is located above the follower with the fingers previously defined positioned beneath and in contact with the shoulder of the draft gear housing. Resting on the follower is a plurality of friction shoes which have inside and outside walls with said outside walls being in friction engagement with the bore of the draft gear housing. A wedge is located above the friction shoes and has a base and sloped side walls which are in friction engagement with the inside walls of the friction shoes. Extending upwardly from beneath the locking mechanism is an adjustable securing means which has a cap which is located beneath the hub portion of the locking piece and a shank which extends upwardly from beneath the cap portion through a hole provided in the hub portion of the locking piece past the friction shoes and through a hole provided in the base of the wedge and which has a threaded surface at its outer extremity to accommodate a nut so that the draft gear can be retained in assembled operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of the invention taken along the lines 1--1 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of the invention.

Corresponding reference characters indicate cor responding parts throughout both views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention a draft gear is indicated generally as 10 having a housing 12 which has an open top 14, a wall 15, a solid bottom 16 and a tapered bore 18 which originates at open top 114 and extends into housing 12 and which terminates into and defines an annular shoulder 20 which extends continuously around the inside circumference of housing 12.

Elastomeric absorption device 22, such as a stack of elastomeric absorption pads, is located within the lower extremity of housing 12 and rests on solid bottom 16. Follower 24 rests on elastomeric absorption device 22 and has a base 26 which has projections 28 extending upwardly therefrom. Locking piece 30 has a hub portion 32 and fingers 34 extending outwardly therefrom and is positioned over but is not in contact with follower 24. Fingers 34 of locking piece 30 are positioned between projections 28 of follower 24 and are positioned under and in contact with shoulder 20 of housing 12. Friction shoes 36 which have outside walls 38, inside walls 40 and base 41 are positioned above follower 24 and base 41 of friction shoes 36 is in contact with projections 28 of follower 24 but is not in contact with locking piece 30. Outside walls 38 of friction shoes 36 are in friction engagement with bore 18 of housing 12. Wedge 42 is located above friction shoes 36 and has a base 43 and side wall 44 which is in friction engagement with inside wall 40 of friction shoes 36.

Securing means 46 has a cap 48 which is located under and held in place by hub portion 32 of locking piece 30 and has a shank portion 50 with a threaded end 51 which extends upwardly through a hole provided in hub portion 32 of locking piece 30 past friction shoes 36 and through a hole provided in base 43 of wedge 42 and nut 52 is threaded onto threaded end 51 of shank 50 so that draft gear 10 may be maintained in assembled operation.

For assembly of draft gear 10 elastomeric absorption device 22 is inserted through open top 14 into housing 12 and placed on solid bottom 16. Follower 24 is placed on top of elastomeric absorption device 22 and is compressed to a desired height where it is temporarily held in place by retaining pins in a manner well known in the art.

Securing means 46 is inserted through an opening provided in hub portion 32 of locking piece 30 and securing means 46 and locking piece 30 are tilted through open top 14 of housing 12 and positioned above follower 24 with fingers 34 of locking piece 30 extending under shoulder 20 of housing 12 and between projections 28 of follower 24. When securing means 46 and locking piece 30 are in place above follower 24 cap 48 of securing means 46 will be under hub 32 of locking piece 30 and shank 50 with threaded end 51 of securing means 46 extending upwards towards open top 14 of housing 12.

Friction shoes 36 are placed on top of follower 24 and around shank 50 of securing means 46, with base 41 of friction shoes 36 in contact with projections 28 of follower 24. Outside wall 38 of friction shoes 36 is in contact with bore 18 of housing 12. Wedge 42 is placed on top of friction shoes 46 with sloped side wall 44 of wedge 42 in contact with inside wall 40 of friction shoes 36 and shank 50 of securing means 46 extends through an opening provided in base 43 of wedge 42. Nut 52 is threaded onto threaded end 51 of shank 50 of securing means 46 so that draft gear can be maintained in assembled operation.

In view of the above it will be seen that several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A draft gear having a wedge locking device comprising:

a. a draft gear housing having an open top, solid bottom and tapered bore originating at said open top extending into said draft gear housing and terminating into and defining a shoulder extending around the inside circumference of said draft gear housing;

b. an elastomeric absorption device disposed within said draft gear housing to dissipate energy transferred to said draft gear;

c. a follower having a solid base and a plurality of projections extending upwardly therefrom with said follower resting on said elastomeric absorption device within said draft gear housing;

. a locking piece having a hub portion and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly therefrom with said fingers positioned beneath and in contact with said shoulder of said draft gear housing and positioned between said projections on said follower;

. a plurality of friction shoes each having a base and inside and outside walls with said outside wall in friction engagement with said bore of said draft gear housing and with said base resting on one of said projections of said follower;

f. a wedge having a base and sloped side walls which are in friction engagement with said inside walls of said friction shoes; and

. securing means to secure said locking piece and said wedge together so that said draft gear can be maintained in assembled operation.

2. A draft gear having a wedge locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a locking bolt having a cap and shank portion with said cap engaged beneath said locking piece and with said shank portion extending upwardly through a hole provided in said hub portion of said locking piece and past said friction shoes and through a hole provided in said base of said wedge and having a threaded surface at its outer extremity to accommodate a nut so that said draft gear can be maintained in assembled f X3iafr gear having a wedge locking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said elastomeric absorption means comprises a series of stacked elastomeric absorption pads located within said draft gear housing and resting on said solid bottom of said draft gear hous- 

1. A draft gear having a wedge locking device comprising: a. a draft gear housing having an open top, solid bottom and tapered bore originating at said open top extending into said draft gear housing and terminating into and defining a shoulder extending around the inside circumference of said draft gear housing; b. an elastomeric absorption device disposed within said draft gear housing to dissipate energy transferred to said draft gear; c. a follower having a solid base and a plurality of projections extending upwardly therefrom with said follower resting on said elastomeric absorption device within said draft gear housing; d. a locking piece having a hub portion and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly therefrom with said fingers positioned beneath and in contact with said shoulder of said draft gear housing and positioned between said projections on said follower; e. a plurality of friction shoes each having a base and inside and outside walls with said outside wall in friction engagement with said bore of said draft gear housing and with said base resting on one of said projections of said follower; f. a wedge having a base and sloped side walls which are in friction engagement with said inside walls of said friction shoes; and g. securing means to secure said locking piece and said wedge together so that said draft gear can be maintained in assembled operation.
 2. A draft gear having a wedge locking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a locking bolt having a cap and shank portion with said cap engaged beneath said locking piece and with said shank portion extending upwardly through a hole provided in said hub portion of said locking piece and past said friction shoes and through a hole provided in said base of said wedge and having a threaded surface at its outer extremity to accommodate a nut so that said draft gear can be maintained in assembled operation.
 3. A draft gear having a wedge locking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said elastomeric absorption means comprises a series of stacked elastomeric absorption pads located within said draft gear housing and resting on said solid bottom of said draft gear housing. 